J.K. Rowling Tweets a Plea to Fans After a Rare Harry Potter Prequel Is Stolen

Early Friday morning the Harry Potter author took to Twitter with an impassioned plea to fans: Do NOT buy a rare handwritten copy of a prequel to the Harry Potter series if it crosses your path. The valuable one-of-a-kind piece, which exists on the front and back of a 6-by-8-inch postcard, was stolen in a burglary last month in Kings Heath, Birmingham, England.

Mashable reports that the 800-word story—set three years before Harry is born—sold for £25,000 (about $32,135) at a charity auction in 2008 for English Pen.

"The only people who will buy this unique piece are true Harry Potter fans," investigating officer P.C. Paul Jauncey said in a statement. "We are appealing to anyone who sees, or is offered this item for sale, to contact police."